Picking-table for nuts



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1. B. H. VELLINES.

PIGKING TABLE FOB. NUT-S, 850.

No. 364,977. v Patented June 14,1887.

WITNESSES INVENTQR TORNEYS Fhnlodjlhognpher, Wash PATENT BENTON H. VELLINES, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

PICKING-TABLE FOR NUTS, etc.

SPECIFICATIDN forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,977, dated June 14, 1887.

Application filed December 17, 1886. Serial No. 221,869. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENTON H. VELLINES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and Stateof Virginia, have invented certain new and useful'Improvements in Picking-Tables for Nuts, Beans, &e.; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of a modification thereof, and Fig. 6 is an end elevation.

My invention relates to picking-tables for separating and grading peanuts, beans, and the like; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the frame of the picking-table, and B the bed of said picking-table. The bed 13 of the table extends across the supporting-frame A and has its side edges curved downwardly to form the bottoms of the delivery-chutes C.

At the head of the table B, I provide rollers E F, which arejournaled in bearings in the frame A of the table. Below the rollers E F two rollers, G H, arejournaled in bearings in the frame A.

At the foot of the table I provide the two upper rollers, I J, and the two lower rollers, K L, each of said rollers being journaled in bearings of the frame A. These rollers E F, G H, I J, and K L serve to carry the two endless carriers M N, upon which the cleaned nuts are fed from a cleaner through a hopper, O, at the head of the table.

P is a longitudinal partition which extends through the middle line of the bed B from the hopper to the foot of the bed. Thepartition P is perforated laterally at proper intervals, as at U, to receive the stems Q of the adjustable slides R, which are inclined from their seats in the partition-stri p P outwardly in the direction of the foot of the bed B, and which enter, when so projected, seats S in the side walls, T, of the bed B, to direct the nuts to the desired points along the delivery-chutes O. The delivery-chutes Cextend the entire length of the bed B, at each side thereof.

At each side of the frame A, I provide the picking-tables V, said tables extending later ally from the frame A to the bottomless receiving boxes or chutes WV, into which the nuts are directed by pickers stationed along the picking-tables, who have first separated the nuts with sticks held in the hands.

a a are slides which work in spaces between the wall ofthepicking-table V, and are adapted to entirely close the mouths of the boxes or chutes WV; or said slides may be movedin their seats to regulate the size of the opening at the mouths of the boxes or chutes.

At the sides of the frame A, at the lower ends or bottoms of the delivery-chutes O, are the rolls X, which are secured to the shafts Y Y. The shafts Y Y extend along the sides of the bed B, and are connected by miter-gears Z on their lower ends with the miter-gears a b on the shafts of the lower rollers, K L. The rolls X project up between the lower edges of the bottoms of the deliverychutes O and the inner edges of the picking-tables V, the arcs of the rolls X presented between the delivery-chutes and the pickingtablcs being equal to a quadrant of a circle.

The side walls, T, of the bed B are provided with regulating-slides (l, which are slotted near their upper edges, and are secured in place and held to their adjustments by thumb-screws 0. These slides d are rabbeted on their inner faces along their lower edges, and in these rabbets f flexible stop-plates g are secured. A slide, (1, and stopplatef is provided above each roll X, so that each operator may regulate the dc livery of the nuts to his or her portion of the picking-table.

The object in presenting only a quadrant of a circle of the roll X through the space between the delivery-chute and the inner edge of the picking-table is to slightly hold or retard the nuts on the roll X and cause the nuts in the rear to push those in front forward on the picking-table. The rollsX all turn toward the picking-tables, and operate in connection with the flexible stop-plates g to accomplish this result.

Instead of using two endless carriers,I may use but a single endless carrier, in which case the partition P will not be extended down through the bed 13, as where two carriers are used, but will consist of a strip secured at each end above the bed and extending from the feedhopper to the foot of the bed. In the latter construction, therefore, it willnot be necessary to have eight rollers, as above, for the carrier; but four long rollers extending across the entire width of the bed will be used instead of the eight used in the construction first described. The lower roller, or one of the lower rollers, at the head of the frame A is provided with a band-wheel, i, which is driven by abelt running from the cleaning-machine, which latter supplies the cleaned nuts to the carriers or carrier, as the case may be.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

their mouths, and the rollers at the heads of 5 the table to push the nuts down on said tables, substantially as specified. v

4. The combination, with a feed-table having delivery-chutes and adjustable stop-plates at its sides, of the lateral picking-tables, the box-receptacles or chutes having slides attheir mouths, and the rollers at the heads of the picking-tables for pushing the nuts down on the latter, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with a carrier and feeder, of a picking-table having a chute, a slide at the mouth ofthe chute, and a roller for pushing the nuts down on the picking-table, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with a carrier and feeder and lateral picking-tables connected therewith, of adjustable slide-guides seated in a partition of the carrier and feeder, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. v

BENTON H. VELLIN ES. Witnesses:

THEO. MUNGEN,

- PHILIP O. MASI. 

